Following the launch of its GSM-based iPaq h6315, HP looks set to strengthen its grasp of the handheld market with the iPaq rw6100 PDA-phone. Apart from its novel sliding form factor, youÂ’ll likely be enticed by this handset's impressive specifications. However, customers outside South Korea may need to wait a while longer as the company prefers to evaluate the success of the product before determining its applicability for CDMA markets elsewhere.

Upside: Available in either black or the customary silver finish, you can expect the rw6100 to fulfill most of your computing needs. Unlike the h6315, this iPaq is powered by a speedy Intel Bulverde processor that clocks in at 520MHz. In addition to the 64MB main RAM, a whooping 78MB of iPaq file store is in hand. This non-volatile memory lets you install applications and serves as a permanent storage area.

Running on Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition, you have the ability to orientate the display on-the-fly between portrait and landscape views. Plus, Web pages can be dynamically processed to fit onto the 262K-color TFT. Sadly, the 2.8-inch screen is 240 x 320 pixels. ...

Read first take of the HP iPaq rw6100 »